Auxiliary gives Rady’s great gift of support

CARMEL VALLEY — Planners created a nightclub right out of the 1960s with plenty of vintage cocktail dresses, carefully coifed hair (lots of hairspray!) and gentlemen sporting bow ties and fedoras.
The stylish seventh Sounds of Hope for Children concert, presented by Rady Children’s Hospital Auxiliary’s Carmel Valley Unit, raised $660,000 to benefit the Hospital’s Autism Discovery Institute. The event was held March 25 at the historic Prado Ballroom and featured music by The Dean-O-Holics, a 17-member Rat Pack tribute band. The event was marked by the true generosity of nearly 300 guests, who gathered to support this institution according to event co-chairwomen Marilyn Nolen and Romie Martin. Guests sipped classic cocktails and dined on contemporary cuisine, while onstage under the glow of towering martini glass lights, Rady Children’s Hospital President Kathleen Sellick and Kristin Gist, Senior Director of Developmental Services at the Autism Discovery Institute, shared some of the incredible work that the ADI, one of only three facilities of its kind in the US, is doing. The Institute’s mission, which is to “create a research center that translates the latest discoveries into the best possible clinical care” for children with autism spectrum disorders and their families, is on the forefront of intervention, treatment and research. Autism affects 1 in 110 children in this country and the incidence of diagnoses continues to grow annually.
Nolen and Martin were more than delighted with the evening’s outcome, which will allow the group to fund a much-needed playground at the Autism Discovery Institute. “Our goal is always to treat our guests to a truly memorable evening that combines philanthropy and fun. We are overwhelmed by the generosity we saw extended Friday evening,” they said.
The Carmel Valley Auxiliary has raised nearly $4 million dollars for Rady Children’s Hospital from the seven “Sounds of Hope” events the volunteer group has produced in recent years. To donate to Rady Children’s Hospital’s Autism Discovery Institute or learn more about the auxiliary, visit chacv.org.